Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Edition 27.0
This version compiled by Shirley Lim and Mary Oliver, editing previous versions
compiled by Grard Cobut,
CONTENTS
Foreword
10
5. Financial Matters
13
13
15
Appendices
I
18
II
26
III
28
IV
30
31
VI
32
Foreword
This guidebook offers information about the International Biology Olympiad (IBO). It
contains a description of the structure, organisation of the IBO, guidelines for
participating and the Rules of the IBO, which are officially accepted and followed by all
IBO members.
The guide also includes a brief history of the IBO with an overview of information for
new member countries. A separate document on the IBO website has a guide for
future host countries.
The Appendices contain IBO theoretical and practical curricula accepted by member
countries.
Year
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Country
Czech Republic
Russia
Slovak Republic
The Netherlands
Bulgaria
Thailand
Ukraine
Turkmenistan
Germany
Sweden
Turkey
Belgium
Latvia
Belarus
Australia
China
Argentina
Canada
India
Japan
Korea
Chinese Taipei / Taiwan
Singapore
Switzerland
Indonesia
Denmark
(City)
(Olomouc)
(Machatskala)
(Poprad)
(Utrecht)
(Varna)
(Bangkok)
(Artek)
(Ashgabat)
(Kiel)
(Uppsala)
(Antalya)
(Brussels)
(Riga)
(Minsk)
(Brisbane)
(Beijing)
(Rio Cuarto)
(Saskatoon)
(Mumbai)
(Tsukuba)
(Changwon)
(Taipei)
(Bern)
(Bali)
(Aarhus)
Immediately after the first Olympiad, a Coordinating Centre was established in Prague
and every November, a meeting of appointed coordinators (Advisory Board) assembles
in this Centre to prepare new proposals and improve regulations, the content, and
preparations of future Olympiads, etc.
A list of countries involved in the IBO is presented in Appendix V.
IBO bodies
2.1 Coordinating Centre (CC)
The CC acts as the secretariat of the IBO1 and fulfils the following functions:
Provides information for all member countries and related international
institutions (UNESCO, IUBS, etc.);
Coordinates the Advisory Board and the General Assembly, in a non-voting
capacity;
Ensures preparation and distribution of materials to these meetings;
Promotes contacts with other non-IBO member countries;
Coordinates the invitation of observers from other non-IBO member countries
by the future host country;
Accumulates relevant documentation about the competition;
Registers and updates addresses of coordinators, their deputies, observers and
of institutions taking part in the IBO;
Collects materials and information regarding the IBO and other biological
competitions, including descriptions of National Biology Olympiads or similar
competitions used to select IBO competitors;
Presents a yearly report about its activities and the financial situation at the
General Assembly.
The CC fulfils these activities in collaboration with the IBO Steering Committee, IBO
member countries and other organizations in accordance with the aims of the IBO. It
organizes the annual IBO Advisory Board meeting. The CC will send an invoice to each
country as a PDF by the end of March for members to pay the IBO membership fee.
2.2 Steering Committee (SC)
It has been established at the National Institute of Children and Youth (NIDM) in Prague,
Czech Republic and it is currently situated at the Faculty of Sciences of the Charles University
in Prague, Czech Republic.
2
10
11
12
5. Financial Matters
Each member country is required to pay fees to the CC (equivalent of 8000 CZK) and
IBO host country (determined by the host one year before the competition) to
participate in the IBO. Non-payment of fees will lead to the exclusion from the
competition.
The host country will cover the costs for accommodation and board for delegation
members (3 meals per day), and provide for the official Russian translation.
Each participating country has to pay the travel expenses of their competitors and
accompanying persons to the competition site in the host country. Expenses of extra
jury members and accompanying members are to be covered by the delegating
country. This fee is determined by the organizers and specified in the invitation letter.
Financial charges connected with the stay of the representative of the CC are covered.
13
14
Rules
7. Rules
7.1 Participation Rules for Member Countries
The Ministry of Education (or similar institution) for each country officially appoints a
Coordinator and a deputy, both citizens of that country to lead their competing teams.
An official letter to the CC is needed from the ministry (or similar) that confirms the
appointment of the Coordinator.
Each Coordinator is to notify the IBO host before 1 May the names and gender of their
competitors participating in the IBO. Countries not able to do so should contact the IBO
host and clarify their delay. In the case of a change of the national flag of a country the
coordinator of this country has to inform the next IBO host and the Coordinating Centre
about this change.
Political and/or religious propaganda carried on by teams participating in the IBO is
strongly disapproved, judged as a violation of the rules and may lead to exclusion of
the delegation concerned. Jury members must not provide any assistance to the
competitions during the IBO.
IBO Members need to fulfil the following requirements annually:
Updated online description of the NBO National Biology Olympiad;
Payment of the membership fee to the CC;
Payment of the participation fee to the host country; and
Communicating changes of the Coordinators to the CC.
The GA decides on acceptance of a country as a regular member of the IBO after the
country has sent observers. A country will lose its membership if they do not participate
in two consecutive Olympiads, nor offer a reason for their absence, nor conform with
the IBO Rules, despite warning from the CC. All principal issues regarding the IBO are
debated at the CM. Recommendations of the AB concerning changes to the guide
become valid at the end of March each year unless there are objections from other
coordinators.
Each member country has to indicate within a reasonable time after its first appearance
in the competition when it will organize the IBO.
7.2 Duties of the Organizers (see Guidelines for the host country for further details)
The organizers will ensure:
Preparation and mailing of invitation letters (including announcement about
financial contributions of participants and observers) and information on
preparatory tasks of the IBO to member countries and to the CC;
Preparation of competition tasks, solution and marking of the individual results
for the International Jury;
The marked and assessed original papers, tasks and answer sheets of the
competitors will remain in the possession of the organizers who will archive
them for a period of two years;
Material and other requirements necessary for the competition, in accordance
with the approved guidelines and rules;
Observation of secrecy and confidentiality during the competition and safety
regulations of all competitors of IBO;
Supervision during the competition in cooperation with the International Jury;
15
Rules
16
Rules
17
APPENDIX I
Theoretical part of the IBO
The IBO theoretical examination should concentrate on biological concepts applied to
the majority of organisms of the same group. It should not contain specific facts,
exceptions or knowledge about local organisms that require special or local
experiences.
The majority of questions should test competitors' understanding, science process
skills and application of their biological knowledge. The host country should definitely
make every effort to deliver theoretical tasks requiring sound biological understanding,
rather than being based upon high-end / cutting-edge knowledge. Questions testing
only knowledge should be expelled.
The maximum obtainable points for correct answers of each particular question have to
be stated in the examination papers. Questions concerning Principles of Scientific
Reasoning and Principles of Biological Methods should be included in the Theoretical
test, which should cover the following 7 topics in the indicated proportions.
In the IBO tasks the names of organisms will be the national names (no description)
together with the scientific names (Latin) in brackets. Any description instead of name
is prohibited. The organizers should construct the questions so that the name of the
organism is not a key element for answering; otherwise they should use very wellknown organisms (general representatives of a group) mentioned in the list for
biosystematics.
I
Cell biology :
(20 %)4
Structure and function of cells
Chemical components
Monosaccharides; disaccharides; polysaccharides
Lipids
Proteins: amino acids, three letter symbol; structure of proteins;
.
chemical classification of proteins:
simple proteins and conjugated proteins
.
functional classification of proteins:
structural proteins and enzymes
Enzymes
.
Chemical structure: apoenzyme and coenzyme
.
Model for enzyme action: enzyme binds with substrate
.
Denaturation
.
Nomenclature
Nucleic Acids : DNA, RNA
Other important compounds
.
ADP and ATP
.
NAD+ and NADH
.
NADP+ and NADPH
Organelles
nucleus
-nuclear envelope
-(nucleohyaloplasm)
-chromosomes
-nucleoli
cytoplasm
-cell membrane
-hyaloplasm
18
-mitochondria
-endoplasmatic reticulum
-ribosomes
-Golgi apparatus
-lysosomes
-vacuole membrane
-proplastides
-plastides
.
chloroplasts
.
chromoplasts
.
leucoplasts (e.g. amyloplasts)
Plant cells are surrounded with a cell wall
Cell metabolism
- Breakdown of carbohydrates
.
Anaerobic break down (anaerobic respiration) of glucose: glycolysis
.
Aerobic break down (aerobic respiration) of glucose:
glycolysis
citric acid cycle
oxidative phosphorylation
- Dissimilation of fats and proteins
- Assimilation
. Photosynthesis
. Light reaction
. Dark reaction (Calvin cycle)
Protein synthesis
- Transcription
- Translation
- Genetic code
Morphology
Fermentation
19
(15 %)
Respiration
- Breathing mechanism
- Gas exchange
- Respiratory organs
Circulation
Blood : blood plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, blood platelets
- Blood circulation : arteries, capillaries, veins, heart
- Lymphatic system : tissue fluid, lymph
Excretion
- Structure of the renal system
- Urine production
Immunity
- Antigens, antibodies
IV
Ethology
Methodology of Ethology
Innate and Learned Behaviour
Communication and Social Organization
Foraging Behaviour
Defensive Behaviour
20
(5 %)
(20 %)
Ecology
Individual Organisms
Unitary and modular organisms
Population
Population structure
.
dispersion, age, size and sex structure
Population dynamics
.
birth rate, death rate
.
exponential and logistic growth, carrying capacity
Population regulation
.
metapopulation dynamics
Biotic Communities
Species richness and diversity
Niche, competition exclusion principle
Interspecific Interactions
.
competition, predation, symbiosis
Community dynamics
.
succession
Terrestrial biomes
Aquatic biomes
Ecosystems
Trophic structure
.
food webs
Trophic levels
.
producers, consumers, decomposers
Energy flow
Productivity
.
gross and net primary productivity
.
energy transfer efficiencies
Matter flux through ecosystems
Global biogeochemical cycles
Biosphere and man
Human population growth
Pollution
.
threats to biodiversity
.
in situ conservation
.
ex situ conservation
(10 %)
VI
21
VII BIOSYSTEMATICS
(5 %)
Structure and function, evolutionary and ecological relationships among typical
organisms in the following groups. Knowledge of scientific terms will not be required for
successful solution of the tasks. However, competitors should know what the named
representatives of genera mentioned below look like.
22
23
24
25
APPENDIX II
Basic Skills for the Practical Part of the IBO
The IBO practical examination should concentrate on the evaluation of competitors for
their ability to solve given biological problems using the following skills.
In the IBO tasks the names of organisms will be the national names (no description)
together with the scientific names (Latin) in brackets. Any description instead of name
is prohibited. The organizers should construct the questions so that the name of the
organism is not a key element for answering; otherwise they should use very wellknown organisms (general representatives of a group) mentioned in the list for
biosystematics.
I
II
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1
2
3
4
5
Cytological methods
Maceration and squash technique
Smear method
Staining of cells and slide preparation
B
1
2
3
4
5
6
26
C
1
2
3
D
1
Ethological methods
Determination and interpretation of animal behaviour
E
1
2
3
4
F
1
2
3
4
5
Taxonomic methods
Use of dichotomous keys
Construction of simple dichotomous keys
Identification of the most common flowering-plant families
Identification of insect orders
Identification of phyla and classes of other organisms
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
V
1
2
3
Microbiological methods
Preparing nutrient media
Aseptic techniques (flaming and heating glass material)
Inoculation techniques
VI
1
2
Statistical methods
Probability and probability distributions
Application of mean, median, percentage, variance, standard deviation, standard
error, T test, chi-square test
27
APPENDIX III
Reference template for on-line National Biology Olympiad
description (www.ibo-info.org)
This document describes the information a national coordinator should collect for filling-in a
convenient on-line description of your National Biology Olympiad.
28
Appendix III - Reference template for on-line National Biology Olympiad description
Media coverage
Indicate which media are involved to inform people, schools, students etc. about
the biology Olympiad procedures, results of students and/or schools, medals at IBO
Think about local/national TV, journals, newspapers, etc.
Support / resources
Which institutions are sponsoring and
How do they support (e.g. money, prices, organization, lectures, study materials,)
Remark: Include support of Ministry of Education?
IBO coordinator
name, address and email are required
Official institution
Name and address of prominent representative national institution appointing the
Coordinator (not just the university / college where the coordinator is working)
Statistics over the year
Which % of schools/students participated in the last five years in the NBO?
Standard school year
From: ..
(Month of the school year beginning)
To
.
(Month of the school year ending):
Biology hours/week
Minimum: ..
Maximum: ..
(Common for the students going for the NBO).
Logo & Files
Description of attached images
Describe what kind of letters, posters, leaflets, brochures, etc. are used to promote
participation in the NBO.
Logo
If possible, attach an example of the NBO logo.
Poster
If possible, attach an example of the NBO poster (as image or pdf).
Leaflet
If possible, attach an example of the NBO leaflet (as image or pdf).
29
APPENDIX IV5
IBO host
Logo
Country: ________________________________
First name: ________________________ Family name: _________________________
Date of Birth: __________________ (dd-mm-yyyy)
I, as a competitor of the IBO ___________ in ___________________ declare that:
(year of IBO)
(location of IBO)
I am (I was until ______) a student of a regular secondary school for general education in the
country concerned
I have not obtained a diploma allowing to study at a university or equivalent institution before
the 1st of January of the actual competition year;
I am one of the winners of the National Biology Olympiad of the current school year of the
above-mentioned country;
I was not trained or instructed within a selected group of 50 or fewer students comprising the
IBO team for a period longer than two weeks;
I was born on the 1st of July of <the IBO year minus 20> or later;
I have not participated already twice in the IBO;
I have not yet started study at university or equivalent institution as regular or full time student;
from 14:00 on the day before the Practical task until the end of the Theoretical task I will have
registered and hand in my personal electronic communication devices;
I agree to be photographed or filmed during the IBO; the organizers may use those images
freely for IBO promotion purposes (no commercial use);
I understand that I can be disqualified if I dont comply with one of the above-mentioned
declarations.
Date and signature of competitor ___________________________________________________
SCHOOL INFORMATION
Name of school
School address
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
School phone and fax
____________________________________________________
School e-mail
____________________________________________________
Name of school principal
____________________________________________________
I as the principal of this school declare that the information given by the above mentioned student is
entirely correct.
Date and signature of the principal _____________________________________________
(Please certify with the school stamp)
At least a PDF copy of this filled-in form must be provided to the IBO organizing country.
30
APPENDIX V:
List of member countries
The year of the first participation in the Olympiad is indicated in brackets.
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
Germany
Poland
Soviet Union
The Netherlands
Sweden
Thailand
Australia
Belarus
Turkey
Russia
Ukraine
China
Czech Republic
Slovak Republic
Azerbaijan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Argentina
Vietnam
Finland
Mongolia
Romania
Estonia
Ireland
Korea
Moldova
United Kingdom
Switzerland
(1990)
(1990)
(1990-1992)
(1990)
(1990)
(1990-1991)
(1991)
(1991)
(1991)
(1992)
(1992)
(1992)
(1992)
(1992)
(1993)
(1993)
(1993)
(1994)
(1994)
(1995)
(1994)
(1995)
(1995)
(1995)
(1996)
(1996)
(1997)
(1997)
(1997)
(1998)
(1998)
(1998)
(1998)
(1998)
(1999)
Iran
(1999)
Mexico
(1999)
Chinese Taipei
(1999)
India
(2000)
Indonesia
(2000)
Singapore
(2001)
Slovenia
(2001)
Cyprus
(2002)
USA
(2003)
Canada
(2004)
Brazil
(2005)
Denmark
(2005)
Greece
(2005)
Japan
(2005)
New Zealand
(2005)
Nigeria
(2005)
Spain
(2006)
Pakistan
(2006)
France
(2007)
Liechtenstein
(2007)
Lithuania
(2007)
Italy
(2008)
Sri Lanka
(2009)
Armenia
(2009)
Hungary
(2010)
United Arab Emirates
(2010)
Georgia
(2011)
Montenegro
(2012)
South Africa
(2012)
Costa Rica
(2013)
Portugal
(2014)
Syria (accepted but absent in 2015)
Luxembourg
(2015)
Malaysia
(2015)
New member countries accepted in 2015 and invited to participate for the first time in
2016 (provided fulfilling the associated duties) are: Bangladesh, Egypt, Iceland,
Norway. The list of countries having organized an IBO in the past can be found on
page 6 (History).
The next scheduled organizers are Vietnam (2016), UK (2017), Iran (2018), Hungary
(2019) and Japan (2020). A list with addresses can be obtained from IBO website.
31
APPENDIX VI:
List of GHS hazard pictograms
SGH01
Explosive
SGH02
Flammable
SGH03
Oxidizer
SGH04
SGH05
Corrosive
SGH06
Toxic
SGH07
SGH08
SGH09
32